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(N0 MOd L I W. BARRETT.

THILL COUPLING. No. 365,722. PatentedJune 28 1887.

QNVENTOR ma:

ATTORNEY FRANK \Y. BARRETT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO F. L. DARRO'W 8t 00., OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLINGD SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.365,722, dated June 28, 1887.

Application filed August 30, 1886. Serial No. 211,450. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WALTER BAR- RETT, of Minneapolis, in thecounty of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a full,clear, vand exact description.

This invention relates to antirattling thillcouplings in which a thillhaving an eye for 10 connecting the thili with the shackle is conicallyrecessed at its opposite ends for reception within them of conicalbushings or washers, through which and through the eye of the thill andarms with which the shackle is provided and that inclose the thill thebelt that secures the thill to the shackle is passed; and my inventionconsists in a novel construction of the cones and their engagement withthe arms of the shackle, substantially as hereinaf- 2o ter described.

' the thill in part, with means embodying my 0 invention for securingthe thill to the shackle.

0 G freely 'fits.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, showing also the axle in section.Fig. 3 is a front view of the coupling, and Fig. at a vertical sectionupon the line a: x in Fig. 1.

A indicates a vehicle-axle, and B the shackle of the thill-coupling,having the clip 13 integral with it for securing the coupling to theaxle. Said shackle B has two front side arms, I) I), between which theinner end of the thill The thill is confined in the shackle by a bolt,(1, provided with a nut, c, and arranged to pass through the side armsof the shackle and through an eye in the end of the thill, as usual.

50 bolt d through them, and taper toward each other when in place tosnugly fit within conical countersinks or recesses s s in the oppositesides or ends of the eye in the thill and form bearings on theirexterior surfaces for the thill, relieving the bolt d of strain. Saidconical bushings D D are restrained from turning when in place byfeathers f on their backs, arranged to fit correspondingly-shapedgrooves g in the inner surfaces of the side arms, I) b, of the shackle,whereby they have no wearing action upon the bolt to in the working ofthe thill up or down. The construction of the conical bushes D D, too,requires no spreading of the shackle-arms apart, in order to fit saidbushes to their places and the several parts together. Consequently thethill-coupling may be put together or taken apart outside of theworkshop and by an unskilled hand. \Vhen the whole is fitted together,however, it is only necessary to tighten up the bolt a by its nut e,

to make the conical bushes, by springing the arms of the shackle, form aclose anti-rattling fit with the thill.

The above are special advantages due to the construction of the singleconical bushes and their feather or tongue-and-grooved engagement withthe side arms of the shackle.

The coupling provides for an easy change from pole to shafts, and viceversa. No shaftrubbers are necessary, and the alterations and expense inattaching the couplings to any vehicle are very slight. Battling, too,is effectually avoided without having recourse to other means than thosehere described; but, if desired, the conical bushes may at any time beremoved and antirattling rubbers be substitnted, thereby providing forinterchangeability, and making it practicable for a vehicle either touse the cones or not.

Havingthusfully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In thillcouplings having independent conical bearings for the eye ofthe thill, the single conical bushings D D, in combination with theshackle B, having side arms, I) b, the thill 0, having conical seats orrecesses s s at opposite ends of its eye, and the screw bolt and nut dc, said conical bushes and the inner surfaces of the side arms of theshackle being constructed on or in their adjacent surfaces with feathersortongues and grooves f 9, adapted to hold said bushings stationary andto permit of the ready entry and removal of the bushes and fitting ofthe parts of the coupling together without forcing apart the arms of theshackle, substantially as specified.

2. In athill-coupling, the combination, with a thill-iron having conicaleyes, of conical bushes fitting therein and having feathers orprojections on their bases, and a thill-shackle having recesses in itsjaws to receive such feathers or projections, substantially as setforth.

3. In a thillcoupling, in combination with athill-iron having conicaleyes, conical bushes 15 having feathers on their bases and fitting insaid eyes, shackles having jaws elasping said I FRANK W. BARRETT.

Vitnesses:

WVM. Y. BEACH, E. L. GRABER.

